It was not easy for Clover to hide her shock. She would not have guessed he was any older than the twins, probably younger, for he was so small and thin. Lack of nourishment had clearly stunted his growth.
“Morrisey says I be a runt. He says all Indians are runts—little, bandy-legged, and stupid.”
“If that were true, then the settlers would not have had so much trouble taking their land from them, would they?”
Willie nodded and smiled his thanks when she refilled his cup with sweet cider. “I figured that much for meself. I know all the folk ‘round here ain’t poor fighters either.”
“Have you ever thought of running away to join your father’s people, the Shawnee?”
“Once or twice, but they’d be hating my white half and I ain’t been brought up Indian.” He tensed, listening. “Rider coming.”
Clover heard the rider approaching a moment after Willie spoke. She quickly got the musket down from over the fireplace. Ballard had not taught her how to fire the thing yet. She did not even know if it was loaded. But she hoped that whoever was now banging on her door would not guess that.
“Open this door, woman. I know you got that brat in there.”
“Morrisey,” Willie whispered, and stuffed his mouth with the last of his food.
“Calm down, Willie,” Clover said, hoping she could follow her own advice as she opened the door and aimed the musket at the red-faced man standing there. “What do you want, Mr. Morrisey?”
He took a step back. “I want that boy. He is mine and I have a judge’s word on that, so don’t you be trying to steal him.”
“He will be home when he has finished sharing a meal with me.”
“He ain’t got time to be socializing like some demmed gentleman.” He took a step toward her but quickly retreated when she steadied her aim. “He is mine, woman, and the law says you gotta give him back.”
“As much as I hate to, I will obey the law. But he is a visitor in my house and I refuse to let you drag him off. He will come home when our visit is over and not before.” She frowned when Morrisey glared at the boy.
“It’d be right smart of you to come home with me now, brat, or you will be paying dearly for this game. You know how I treat disobedience.”
“‘Tis that child’s misfortune to know exactly how you treat anything and anyone smaller and weaker than you,” said Clover. “I believe it would be a grave error in judgment on your part if you made this child suffer for visiting me.”
“Oh, it would, huh? And just what will you be doing about it?”
“Let me suggest”—she aimed her musket at his crotch—“that you consider what life would be like if you no longer had anything dangling between yourlegs.” When he flinched and covered his privates, she flashed him a cold smile.
“That be agin the law.”
“If I claimed I did it in self-defense, I suspect it would be difficult to find anyone who would dispute my story.”
Morrisey glared at her and the boy for another full minute before he strode from the house, mounted, and rode off. She kept her musket aimed at him until he was out of sight. After shutting the door and replacing the musket over the fireplace, she returned to the kitchen table. Willie was staring at her, his brown eyes wide.
“That were a right fine thing you done for me, ma’am. Right fine. It won’t be making no nevermind though. He might be too scared to whup me for this, but he will whup me good for something else.”
“I am afraid you are right. Then again, my interference has allowed you to stay here until you decide to leave. And you might even be able to come back another time if you feel inclined to.”
“I would like that real fine, ma’am.”
Clover noticed the boy was now playing with his food and peeking at her through his surprisingly long black lashes. It was clear that he had something on his mind, but was reluctant to speak.
“You want to ask me something, am I right?” He nodded. “Just ask me, Willie. The worst that can happen is that I will have no answer or will say no.”
Willie nodded, took a deep breath, and asked, “Will you teach me what you be teaching the MacGregors?”
“You mean how to read and write?”
“And figure and act proper and speak good likeyou do. See, I figure I will get free of Morrisey someday, but he ain’t raising me to be any more than a big dumb brute like him. Now, I know being half-Shawnee’s gonna be trouble, but maybe if I got me some learning and fine manners I could still be more than dirt-poor. I ain’t gonna get nowhere if I be nothing but a half-breed what acts and thinks like Morrisey.”
“I will be pleased to teach you anything you want to know. What would you like to try first?”
